Whether you grow your own vegetables, get them from local farmers, or buy them from a supermarket, you need to know how to store them to keep them fresher longer.
- Remove any ties or rubber bands on vegetable bunches. The closer they are wrapped, the faster they rot.
- Trim off the leafy tops of vegetables like carrots and beets, but leave an inch of stem to prevent them from drying out.
- Don’t store any vegetables in airtight plastic bags—poke holes in the bags to keep air circulating.
- Greens should be washed in lots of water before storing—but not running water. Fill the sink with water, swish the greens and let the dirt sink to the bottom.
- Soft herbs, such as basil, and soft produce, like mushrooms and berries, shouldn’t be washed until just before used—water speeds deterioration.
- Vegetables and fruits should be stored separately. The ethylene emitted by ripening fruit can damage vegetables.
- Stone fruits (except cherries), melons, mangoes, apples, pears, avocadoes and tomatoes will continue to ripen if left on the counter.
- Bell peppers, grapes, citrus fruit and berries will start to deteriorate if left on the counter.
- Bananas will speed the ripening of nearby fruits and vegetables. Store them separately, unless you want the bananas to help ripen other produce.